Motorized railroad truck



Aug. 3, 1965 c. H. MELCHER MOTORIZED RAILROAD TRUCK 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed May 27, 1963 IN V EN TOR.

. P1 EL IS A'ITORNEV M A. N/ 0 C Aug. 3, 1965 c. H. MELCHER MOTORIZED RAILROAD TRUCK 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed May 27, 1963 N QE INVENTOR. CONWAY H HELCHER BY HIS ATTORNEY Aug. 3, 1965 c. H. MELCHER 3,198,138

MOTORIZED RAILROAD TRUCK Filed May 27, 1963 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 IN VEN TOR.

CONWAY H. MELCHER C2 32 BY 4 H|s ATTORNEY United States Patent 3,l98,l38 MGTGRE- .Ei) EAELESAD 'liliUQK Conway H. Melcher, Erie, Fa, assig or to General Electric Company, a corporation of New York Filed May 27, 1963, Ser. No. 283,211 3 Claims. (CL -5-49) This invention relates to rail vehicles and more particularly to such vehicles having new and improved traction and suspenison systems to achieve increased tractive effort for the vehicle.

It is well known that the tractive effort of rail vehicles is determined by the adhesion between the vehicle wheels and the rails upon which they roll. Because of the ctfect of atmospheric conditions, the condition of the rails due to microscopic oil films and other foreign matter, which aifect the coefficient of friction between the wheels and rails, rail vehicles have long been plagued with the probem of negotiating the steep grades which are often present on many railway roadbeds. Many attempts have been made in the prior art to find a satisfactory solution to this problem and provide some practical means of aiding rail vehicles in negotiating such grades. Most of the prior rt attempts however, have involved the use of additional powered rail vehicles, such as an additional locomotive, or some other source of external power, such as motorized winches with or without associated balancing weights to raid in pulling the vehicle up the grade and/ or in aiding it in going down the grade in a somewhat similar manner. In many cases for example, it has been required to decouple the load and haul only small portions up or down the grade at a time. None of these prior art methods have been entirely satisfactory in that all add greatly to the expense and greatly increase the time required to move the load from one. point to another.

It is an object of this invention, therefore, to'provide a new and improved rail vehicle which substantially overcomes one or more of the prior art difficulties in negotiating severe grades and is more practical and inexpensive than any of the methods employed heretofore.

It is another object of this invention, therefore, to provide a rail vehicle which is capable of negotiating steeper grades with heavier loads than ever heretofore possible.

It is a further object of this invention to provide a rail vehicle having means for increasing the tractive eifort thereof, in combination with means to prevent derailment of the vehicle in the event of malfunction of such means.

Briefly stated, in accordance with one aspect of this invention, an improved rail-type vehicle is provided with a plurality of spaced-apart railway trucks associated therewith. Each of the railway trucks has a plurality of rail guide-wheels arranged to continuously guide the vehicle along the railway and in combination therewith power driven road wheels arranged to drive the vehicle from a roadway adjacent the railway. The trucks are further provided with an inter-connecting linkage system arranged to distribute the vehicle weight in a predetermined proportion between the rail guide wheels and the power driven road wheels. The linkage system is adapted to maintain the weight distribution independent of the variations in height between the railway and roadway surfaces respectively. In a further aspect of this invention, auxiliary wheels are provided normally spaced above and out of engagement with the railway and are adapted to engage the rail should the road wheels fail.

The novel features believed characteristic of this invention are set forth with particularity in the appended claims. The invention itself however, together with further ob jects and advantages thereof will best be understood by reference to the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a side elevation of a rail vehicle supported by truck assemblies incorporating the principles of this invention; one truck assembly being partially sectioned.

PEG. 2 is a partial plan view of the rail vehicle truck assemhly of this invention.

FIG. 3 is a partial end View of the rail vehicle illustrated in PEG. 1; and, PEG. 4 is a partial view illustrating the end portion of one of the truck side frames with a portion of the equalizer member and load lever pivotally connected thereto being shown in phantom.

In FIG. 1 there is shown an electrically powered rail vehicle such as a locomotive 1 having a body portion 2 supported on rail 3 and E- and adjacent tractive surface 5 6 and truck assemblies '7 and 8. The body portion 2 is shown in the drawing for illustrative purposes only and, as will be understood by those skilled in the art, may be of various configurations depending upon the applicatlon of the vehicle.

The truck assemblies 7 and 3 are identical in design as are the adjacent side structures comprising these trucks. For clarity and simplicity of explanation, therefore, the invention will be illustrated and described with respect 'to EEG. 1 and FIG. 2 wherein the wheels and rigging on one side of the truck assembly 8 have been removed.

Truck assembly 8 defines a truck side frame 9 attached to the truck bolster member 1%. Cross-ties 11 are also attached to the truck side frame 9 and like the truck bolster member l3 are similarly attached to a corresponding adjacent side frame 12 (shown in FIG. 3). Axle positioning pedesnl openings l3, l4, l5 and 16 are provided in the truck side frame 9. A first pair of axles 17 and 18 are rota-tably mounted in journals 1% and 21' in pedestal openings 1" and M. respectively. The axles l7 and 18 are provided with steel guide wheels 21 which are flanged to roll continuously on a conventional railway such as the rails 3 and 4.

A second pair of axles 22 and 23 are similarly received by journals 24 and 25 in the pedestal openings 15 and 16 respectively. Axles 22 and 23 are the power axles. Accordingly, they may be geared to electric traction motors 2i; and 27 respectively, as illustrated in FIG. 2. xles 22 and 23 are provided with road wheels 28, which may be pneumatic tires or the like, and adapted to roll on a suitable roadway, such as the tractive surface 5 and 6, adjacent to, and, outboard of rails 3 and 4. The tractive surfaces 5 and is may be of any suitable hard surface such as concrete, compacted dirt, wood, brick or the like. For descriptive purposes the tr-active surfaces 5 and 6 are illustrated as concrete and constructed outboard of the rails and on the elongated railway ties 29. As shown, the tractive surfaces 5 and 6 are of an elevation approximately equal to that of the rails 3 and 4. While this is a preferred installation, it may not always be practical due to the inherent limitations of the roadbed. For example, the elevations between the rails 3 and 4 and the tractive surfaces 5 and 6 may vary from time-to-time or they may be positioned above or below the rails.

The combination of pneumatic traction wheels and railtype wheels on light railroad locomotive equipment has been known. It is, however, believed to be new and unique in the manner by which this invention utilizes two distinctly different sets of wheels simultaneously, one set of steel wheels which roll on standard rails and contributes continuous guidance for the vehicle and one set of pneumatic type traction wheels rolling on a traction surface adjacent to the steel rails for propelling the vehicle. The axle load arrangement is also unique in that it may be evenly dispersed between the pneumatic traction wheels and the flanged steel guide wheels, or, one set or the other may continuously carry a predetermined greater amount of the locomotives weight. This weight adjustment can be varied to suit the application. For example, for some applications it is more desirable to prodetermined manner.

vide for a greater proportion of the vehicle load to be carried by the road Wheels for increased tractive effort while for other applications, such as for railways having sections with a high degree of curvature, it is more desirable to provide for a greater proportion of the vehicle load to be carried by the guide Wheels for improved guiding ability. In addition, with the ability to adjust the axle load on the pneumatic traction wheels, a wide range of standard size pneumatic tires may be adapted for use.

In further accordance with this invention, therefore, means are provided for distributing the weight vbetween the roadway wheels and the rail guiding wheels in a pre- Tov this end, interconnecting means are provided resiliently connected to the truck side frame and having load levers pivotally mounted to each end which are in load bearing relationship with the journal boxes associated with the rail guide wheels and the roadway driving wheels respectively.

The body portion 2, of the railway vehicle is supported on each of the truck assemblies by means of a conventional turning bearing 1011.. The truck side frame 9 is attached to the bolster member 10 and is resiliently supported by springs positioned between the underside of truck side frame 9 and the upper surface of an equalizer member 32. As shown more clearly in FIGS. 2 and 3,

similar equalizer members 32 are provided on each side of each of the side frames 9 and 12. Equalizer member 32 is parallel to the underside of truck side frame 9 and has its ends angled upwardly between axles 17 and 22 and 18 and 23 respectively. Load. levers 31 extend from journals 19 and 24 and'20 and 25 respectively. The end portions of equalizer member 32 are pivotally attached to a predetermined fulcrum point on levers 31 by the pins 31a. Pins 31a pass through suitable slots 49 in the side frames and pivotally connect load levers 31 to the endsv of the equalizer members 32 on both sides of the side frame. The relationship of the pins 31a and the slot in the side frame is shown more clearly in FIG. 4. By position ing this fulcrum one way or the other on lever 31 the portion of the rail vehicle load bearing on equalizer member 32 is shifted to the power driven axles 22 and 23 and the road wheels 28 or to the axles 17 and 18 and guide wheels .21. a

Axles 22 and23 are also adapted to receive unfianged steel auxiliary wheels 34 spaced above and in alignment with rails 3 and 4. Accordingly, wheels 34 are normally spaced above and out of engagementwith the rail but are adapted to engage the rail should the roadway wheels become deflated or otherwise fail. The wheels 34, therefore, provide a means to protect theroad wheels 28 from any damage due to such deflation as well as preventing a possible derailment. In addition, wheels 34 may be utilized as brakedrums for use, with rail vehicle braking systms such as the conventional piston-type or the C-clam'p type; the size of the wheels 34 providing sufficient capacity to achieve very efficient braking.

Thus,'an integrated rail veheicle truck has been described having a unique linkage system with provisions for a positive weight distribution arrangement between the various axles and their associated Wheels. By provision of a predetermined load on the steel guide wheels, a positive means of continuously guiding the traction wheels over a suitable tractive surface is obtained. i

The particular structure described and illustrated herein is a preferred embodiment of this invention, however, it will be obvious to those skilled in the art that various changes and modifications may be made without departing from the invention in its broader aspects. For example, all surface bearing wheels'may be powered. It is also obvious that the invention is not restricted to a double Therefore, it is and modifications that fall within the true spirit and scope of this invention.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is: V

1. In a rail-type vehicle, a truck assembly comprising: first and second pairs of axles,'one axle of said first pair being located at each end of said truck assembly with said second pair of axles positioned therebetween so that an axle of said second pair is inboard of and adjacent to an axle ofsaid first pair; rail guide wheels mounted on said first pair of axles adapted to guide said truck assembly along a railway; means for power driving said second pair of axles; road wheels mounted on said second pair of axles adapted to drive said truck assembly from a roadway adjacent said railway; an equalizer member extending longitudinally of said truck assembly; a load lever pivotally connected at a point intermediatethe ends thereof to each end of said equalizer, each of said load levers benig posi tioned between the adjacent axles of said first and second .a railway; a pair of power driven road wheel and axle assemblies positioned betweenj said pair of rail guide wheel and axle assemblies so that a rail guide wheel and axle assembly is outboardand adjacent a power driven wheel and axle assembly, said power driven road wheel and axle assemblies being adapted to drive said truck from a roadway adjacent said railwayyan equalizer mem ber extending longitudinally of said truck; a frame resil iently supported on said-equalizer member; a load lever pivotally connected ata point intermediatethe ends thereof'to each end of said. equalizer member, said load levers being positioned between the adjacent guide and power driven road Wheel and axle assemblies and each having one end supported on a guide wheel and axle assembly and the other end supported on a power driven road wheel and axle assembly so that the load of said truck is distributed in a preselected proportion between the rail guide wheel and axle assemblies and the power driven road wheel and axle assemblies and being maintained in such proportion independent of relative variations in height between said railway and roadway surfaces by the pivotal action of said load levers on-said equalizer member.

3. A rail-type vehicle comprisingza plurality of spacedapart railway trucks associated with said vehicle'each including a side frame having means for containing a plurality of spaced-apart journal boxes arranged to allow the sidevfrarn'e to move vertically relatively thereto; a first pair of axles associated with a. first pair of said journal boxes, said axles having rail guide wheels mounted thereon for continuously guiding said vehicle-along a railway; a second pair' of axles associatedwith'a second pair of journal boxes disposed between said first pair of axles, said second pair of axles being power driven and having road wheels mounted thereon arranged to drive said vehicle from a roadway adjacent said railway; an equalizer member extending below and parallel to said side frame and being resiliently connected therewith, the ends of said equalizer member being angled upwardly and disposed between a journal box associated respectively with an axle of said first and second pairs; a pair'of load levers one pivotally connected at a point intermediate the ends thereof to each end of said equalizer member, the ends of said load levers being disposed in load bearing relationship between an axle of said first and second pairs so that the weight of said vehicle is distributed in a pre- 5 determined proportion between said railway guide wheels 1,489,998 4/24 and said power driven roadway wheels and maintained 1,938,049 12/33 thereon independent of relative variations between the 3,084,637 4/63 railway and roadway surfaces. 3,120,820 2/64 References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 814,922 3/06 Schuler 105183 Galbraith 105-215 Serrano 105215 Kohout 105215 X Bingham 105-215 ARTHUR 1.. LA POINT, Primary Examiner.

PHILIP ARNOLD, EUGENE G. BOTZ, Examiners. 

1. IN A RAIL-TYPE VEHICLE, A TRUCK ASSEMBLY COMPRISING: FIRST AND SECOND PAIRS OF AXLES, ONE AXLE OF SAID FIRST PAIR BEING LOCATED AT EACH END OF SAID TRUCK ASSEMBLY WITH SAID SECOND PAIR OF AXLES POSITIONED THEREBETWEEN SO THAT AN AXLE OF SAID SECOND PAIR IS INBOARD OF AND ADJACENT TO AN AXLE OF SAID FIRST PAIR; RAIL GUIDE WHEELS MOUNTED ON SAID FIRST PAIR OF AXLES ADAPTED T GUIDE SAID TRUCK ASSEMBLY ALONG A RAILWAY; MEANS FOR POWER DRIVING SAID SECOND PAIR OF AXLES ROAD WHEELS MOUNTED ON SAID SECOND PAIR OF AXLES ADAPTED TO DRIVE SAID TRUCK ASSEMBLY FROM A ROADWAY ADJACENT SAID RAILWAY; AN EQUALIZER MEMBER EXTENDING LONGITUDINALLY OF SAID TRUCK ASSEMBLY; A LOAD LEVER PIVOTALLY CONNECTED AT A POINT INTERMEDIATE THE ENDS THEREOF TO EACH END OF SAID EQUALIZER, EACH OF SAID LOAD LEVERS BEING POSITIONED BETWEEN THE ADJACENT AXLES OF SAID FIRST AND SECOND PAIRS AND HAVING THEIR ENDS SUPPORTED THEREON; AND FRAME RESILIENTLY SUPPORTED ON SAID EQUALIZER MEMBER, SAID EQUALIZER MEMBER AND THE PIVOTALLY CONNECTED LOAD LEVERS AT THE ENDS THEREOF BEING OPERATIVE TO DISTRIBUTE THE LOAD ON SAID TRUCK ASSEMBLY IN A PRESELECTED PROPORTION BETWEEN SIAD FIRST AND SECOND PAIRS OF AXLES AND MAINTAINING SUCH DISTRIBUTION INDEPENDENT OF RELATIVE VARIATIONS IN HEIGHT BETWEEN THE RAILWAY AND ROADWAY SURFACES. 